Montco Discusses Results of Delinquent Child Support Raid

By Nicole Foulke

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department (MCSD) and the Domestic Relations Office (DRO) discussed the results of a Tuesday, 1 a.m. raid on parents with warrants due to delinquent child support at a joint press conference on Friday.

According to Dep. Joanne Plasterer, of the County Warrants Division, 18 delinquent parents were taken into custody from the sweep, out of a list of 37 who had bench warrants. By the Friday afternoon conference, the number of those arrested had risen to 21; additionally, three parents surrendered.

Plasterer said that they want to ask the public’s assistance again to help them apprehend four men: 

• Alphonse Defrancesco of Blue Bell ($37,200 owed for two children)
• Francis Michael McLaughlin (who may go by ‘Michael’) of Lower Merion ($54,800 owed for two children)
• Londun Ricketts from the Royersford area ($24,900 owed for one child)
• Daniel Darden, originally from Norristown, who has three active cases in Montgomery county against him ($50,900 owed for three children).

According to an email from the sheriff’s department, out of a total amount of $374,100 owed for 52 children, $16,530 was collected. The highest amount was $10,300 paid by Anthony Garrity and the lowest amount was $120 paid by Heather Walters.        

Fourteen of the 18 parents arrested were incarcerated, said Plasterer. Among them they were ordered to pay a total of $34,000.

Rebecca Colantuno, the DRO’s Enforcement Unit Assistant Director, thanked the MCSD, the media and the public and indicated that the $16,530 collected was going directly to the children.

Colantuno stressed that those with such domestic relations warrants will be targeted, and that the issue will not go away. “We now have the means and the tools to go after those who do not consider it a priority,” she said. 

According to Colantuno, if someone has signed up to receive text message alerts from DRO, those people will receive a message if they have warrants out against them.

“In order to avoid a roundup and be seen on TV at 1 a.m., turn yourselves in,” she said.

To contact Montgomery County Domestic Relations, call 610-278-3646. To Contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, call 610-278-3331.